Staff Infection: Family Ties Mixtape

What is a mixtape?

To some people, a mixtape is simply a collection of songs. For others, mixes are used to prepare for a significant event, like a first date or a road trip. Since I spend part of my day teaching Literature to community college students who often look older than I do and the other part of my day scouting out new clients for Green Light Go, I’m always on the move.

My iPod (which I endearingly refer to as “Pod Stewart”) is my saving grace, because my music listening habits are about as fluid as my lifestyle. One thing I love about my iPod is that I can use the “On-the-Go” feature to make a mini mixtape at the click of a button, to kick start my day or create a short list of favorite songs to listen to at a moment’s notice.

In the wake of Father’s Day, I’ve decided to make a little mixtape that relates to one of the most important themes in my life: my family.

When I was around five years old, my father (a former rock drummer), took our family on a trip to Graceland so that I could visit the home of my idol at the time, Elvis Presley. Growing up, I inherited my knowledge of rock history from my Uncle Dave, the man who presented me with my first Sony Walkman and The Beatles’ Help! cassette tape on my sixth birthday. Last summer, Dave and I had the pleasure of seeing Ian McLagan perform (one of our favorite Faces), which will always be one of my fondest memories. Ultimately, my family has been instrumental in shaping my love and appreciation for music, so I made this Monday Mixtape with them in mind.

Moving forward, my future Staff Infection columns will feature the Monday Mixtapes I create, so you can plug in a set of ear buds and race across town with me.

Monday Mixtape – Family Ties

Sam Roberts, “Detroit ’67” from Love at the End of the World

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, “Home” from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

The Beatles, “Help!” from Help!

Coconut Records, “Drummer” from Davy

Faces, “Ooh La La” from Ooh La La

Wilco, “Hummingbird” from A Ghost is Born

Pete Yorn, “Suspicious Minds” (Elvis Presley Cover) from Live From New Jersey

Photo (Left to Right) - Janelle Rogers, Ian McLagan, Lauren Roberts, David McIntyre, Uncle Dave Roberts.

Every week a different Green Light Go staff member will write about what bands have infected their ears for the week and give you an opportunity to hear it for yourself.

This week: Lauren Roberts, Green Light Go Talent Coordinator/Publicity Client Scout.

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Grand Altantic's Album Streams on Spinner Today!

At GLG, we like Mondays (sorry Boomtown Rats), and all the new (and free) music that is available for us to hear!

Online music mecca Spinner is home to their prominent Spinner Full CD Listening Party will be streaming Grand Atlantic's full-length album How We Survive in its entirety today!

The Aussie's U.S. release for How We Survive is available for purchase on Tuesday, April 20, but you can hear the album in full all Monday on Spinner. We're delighted to get this album out to U.S. ears. Take a sneak peak listen on Spinner and we know you'll want it all to yourself by Tuesday.

Full of incredible harmonies and vocal layers, soft and melodic guitar riffs, and catchy choruses, How We Survive, is an album that feels like a timeless Brit-pop album. Full of glorious song after glorious rocking song, whether its perfect pop-rock, a little psychedelic pop or guitar heavy Brit-influenced. How We Survive is at times evocative of a groups such as Supergrass, Stone Roses and even the power-pop disguised as rock of Sam Roberts Band; Grand Atlantic is more ready to take on the U.S. with the State-side release of How We Survive. Click Here to Read More..

Indie Twee Pop at It's Finest. The True Jacqueline Release Nice Bird on June 22nd

Based in Northampton, Massachusetts, The True Jacqueline’s debut full-length release Nice Bird set for release on June 22, presents indie-rock twists, breakdowns, and unusual arrangements that always remain melodic. TJ’s songs can be both campy and heartfelt; they write about what they know: real life, pop culture, and historical subjects. “We pull topics from many places,” says Stevralia. “We’re kind of nerds, so academic subjects like science, math, and history--as well as science-fiction --tend to crop up often.”

Nice Bird presents straight up bouncy indie rock reminiscent of late ‘90s Canadian power-pop (“Pon Farr”), sonic jamming dubs (“Citrus Alarm“ and “Mondegreen”), and delicious folk-pop (“Starts With She”). Though each song is sonically unique, what all of Nice Bird’s songs have in common is odd and whimsical lyrical content. They sing about magnets, Barbara Streisand, the 1989 Fred Savage video game movie “The Wizard”, and hating your brother enough to want to kill him.

The True Jacqueline have shared the stage with Bishop Allen, Sam Roberts Band, and Golden Bloom. In 2009, Spin.com tagged the band as one of “7 Undiscovered Rock Bands Worth a Listen.” "...Crunchy guitar riffs and singing tight girl/boy harmonies, a la Apples in Stereo ... lo-fi and loosely constructed but really kind of fun..." declared Jennifer Kelly of PopMatters of The True Jacqueline. Click Here to Read More..